Reply To: Guitar Ensemble Method

[nafmeadmin]

I love, love, love the First Year Guitar book in the Hands-On Training method by Nancy Lee Marsters. It’s not available (I don’t think) from any of the traditional book or music retailers, but if you google you should be able to find her website. It was introduced to me at a NAMM Teaching Guitar workshop a few years ago. I start my 7th graders on it, and there is enough material for the book to extend through some pretty advanced technique stuff all the way through 8th grade. I just supplement it with more pop/rock/folk music. There are also some trio and ensemble books from the same series that can supplement the method book. I can’t recommend it highly enough – explains things clearly, hits all the elements of music that we as teachers want our kids to learn, but is still accessible and fun that the students like it too.